Inter-Museum Loan Information

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum lends objects from our collections to encourage and develop a greater understanding and appreciation for the Holocaust and Holocaust-related artifacts. The Museum lends to other museums and institutions engaged in nonprofit, educational, and scholarly pursuits. 

Loan applications must be submitted at least one year in advance of the loan start date.

Please note: Due to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s New Permanent Exhibition Project, fewer loan requests may be granted, it may take longer than usual to review the requests, and the length of loan terms may be shorter through December 2028.

How to Apply

Fill out our online outgoing loan application below. Once you’ve completed the application, please send additional required materials to our loan coordinator.

Application Materials

Borrowers are required to complete the online outgoing loan application. Incomplete applications will be returned with a request for additional information. The application should include the following information:

• Name, address, and telephone number of borrowing institution and a contact name

• Synopsis of exhibition

• Loan period, including time for exhibition preparation and loan return

• Completed American Association of Museums facilities report, or comparable facilities report for borrowing institution

• A list of additional venues, if applicable (facility reports for each additional venue are required)

• Plan of gallery where the loan will be displayed and a description of exhibition cases and gallery lighting

Photography for print and electronic media is permitted only for catalog, educational, archival, and publicity purposes related to the purposes of the loan. No photography or reproduction is permitted by the general public.

Loan Selection Criteria

Loan applications are reviewed on a monthly basis by the Museum’s Outgoing Loans Committee—members include curatorial, registration, and conservation staff members—and will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• The proposed use of the borrowed material

• The timing of the request for the loan

• The value and/or the importance of the object

• The overall condition of the object

• The security, environmental, and facility characteristics and capabilities of the borrowing institution

• The nature and purpose of the borrowing organization and the proposed project

• The current exhibition schedule of the Museum

The Museum will make every effort to assist borrowers in meeting the loan requirements. However, not all loans may be approved.